You’ve been eating right and exercising all year and you’re closing in on your fitness goals…then, the holidays come. Do you really have to deprive yourself of all the amazing indulgences this time of year? Nope, not at all thanks to these 4 awesome holiday weight saving tips.
We all go through the same struggles… So many parties, unhealthy choices, and peer pressure—so much of everything. Compound that with less time for exercising and we are served up a recipe for potential disaster when it comes to our health. Weight gain and feelings of guilt often follow. But it’s not a guaranteed loss! There are tried-and-true ways to avoid what some consider the inevitable holiday weight gain. Let’s look at key factors that can help prevent us from getting derailed—and make maintaining a goal!
- Tech to the Rescue
Technology has advanced to the point where there are innumerous beneficial tools to help you stick to your fitness goals. An activity tracker in conjunction with a calorie tracker can help you stay on track by showing you where your calories are coming from in real-time and if you are being active enough to burn off those extra goodies. In the end, most people are less likely to overindulge when they’ve truly committed to logging food intake. You can even check for approximate calorie counts if you’re questioning certain food choices.
*TIP: MyFitnessPal is my favorite calorie tracker app that’s FREE in the iTunes App Store. So user-friendly and has verified nutrition info for any food. It also let’s you add your workouts in so you can see what you’ve earned for the day!
- Make Moderation Your Mantra
Like other areas of fitness and nutrition, maintaining relies a lot on moderation. You don’t have to avoid all your favorites, just use common sense and a little self-control. I know, it’s difficult. But the results will be worth the effort. A really good tip is to eat before you go to a gathering where you know most of the choices will not be the best. That way you won’t be as hungry and will be more easily satisfied with just sampling. Also, don’t hang out near the buffet table, as the temptation to continue nibbling while you talk is too great. Eat slower. Our bodies have an automatic response to let us know when we have eaten enough. Most of us eat so fast that we blow right past that response though, and don’t realize we are full until we have eaten way too much.
*Simple tip to help: Put your fork or spoon down after you take a bite, chew slowly, and don’t pick up the utensil again until after you swallow. Also, remember that beverage calories can add up quickly. These are mostly empty calories with little or no nutritional value. So there’s more than one reason to not drink too much! Every other drink should be water.
- Understand The Cost In Advance
It’s sad but true: every treat has a cost. And you may be surprised by how many calories are in your favorite foods Limit Daytime Indulgences
If you’re like most of us, your coworkers are amazing cooks who love to share their talents this time of year. Be sure you are bringing your lunch with you (and eating it) instead of snacking on homemade treats all day or going out often. Make an effort to avoid the kitchen/break room (or at least make it an occasional voyage) if you know it’s full of hard-to-resist goodies. And don’t skip meals thinking you are saving calories. Your body needs fuel and we should be getting it from our regular meals. Most holiday snacks don’t contain the necessary balance of protein and other nutrients that nourish our bodies and keep us healthy.
- Limit Daytime Indulgences
If you’re like most of us, your coworkers are amazing cooks who love to share their talents this time of year. Be sure you are bringing your lunch with you (and eating it) instead of snacking on homemade treats all day or going out often. Make an effort to avoid the kitchen/break room (or at least make it an occasional voyage) if you know it’s full of hard-to-resist goodies. And don’t skip meals thinking you are saving calories. Your body needs fuel and we should be getting it from our regular meals. Most holiday snacks don’t contain the necessary balance of protein and other nutrients that nourish our bodies and keep us healthy.
–BEYOND
